Cleaning robot

{
  "publication_number": "US2023101981A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Cleaning robot",
  "abstract": "Measures for use operating a robot having one or more sensors. At the robot, a representation of an environment of the robot is generated by operating the one or more sensors to sense a set of parameters representative of the environment of the robot. The representation includes at least one surface in the environment other than a surface on which the robot is located. Control data is received from the electronic user device. The control data indicates a desired action to be performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. In response to receipt of the control data, the robot is caused to perform the desired action at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of operating a robot, the robot having one or more sensors, the method comprising: generating, at the robot, a representation of an environment of the robot by operating the one or more sensors to sense a set of parameters representative of the environment of the robot, wherein the representation comprises at least one surface in the environment other than a surface on which the robot is located; receiving control data, at the robot, from the electronic user device, the control data indicating a desired action to be performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot; and in response to receipt of the control data, causing the robot to perform the desired action at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. 2. The method according to claim 2, comprising transmitting data representative of the environment of the robot to the electronic user device. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the robot comprises a surface cleaning component, and wherein the desired action comprises a cleaning action. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning action comprises one or more of: vacuum cleaning, wiping, mopping, tidying, and dusting. 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the generating comprises generating a list of surfaces in the environment and an associated identifier for each surface in the list, the method comprising: transmitting the generated list to the electronic user device, wherein the received control data comprises the associated identifier for at least one surface on the stored list at which the desired action is to be performed. 6. The method according to claim 1, comprising, upon completion of performing the desired action at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot, transmitting a desired action completed notification to the electronic user device. 7. The method according to claim 1, comprising maintaining the generated representation, at the robot or an external device, by one or more of: periodically updating the generated representation, and updating the generated representation in response to operation of the one or more sensors indicating a change in one or more of the set of parameters. 8. Apparatus for use in operating a robot, the robot having one or more sensors, the apparatus being configured to: generate, at the robot, a representation of an environment of the robot, by operating the one or more sensors to sense a set of parameters representative of the environment of the robot, wherein the representation comprises at least one surface in the environment other than the surface on which the robot is located; receive control data, at the robot from the electronic user device, the control data indicating a desired action to be performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot; and in response to receipt of the control data, cause the robot to perform the desired action at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. 9. A computer program product comprising a set of instructions, which, when executed by a computerised device, cause the computerized device to perform a method of operating a robot, the robot having one or more sensors, the method comprising: generating, at the robot, a representation of an environment of the robot, by operating the one or more sensors to sense a set of parameters representative of the environment of the robot, wherein the representation comprises at least one surface in the environment other than a surface on which the robot is located; receiving control data, at the robot from the electronic user device, the control data indicating a desired action to be performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot; and in response to receipt of the control data, causing the robot to perform the desired action at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. 10. A robot having one or more sensors, the robot being configured to: generate a representation of an environment of the robot, by operating the one or more sensors to sense a set of parameters representative of the environment of the robot, wherein the representation comprises at least one surface in the environment other than a surface on which the robot is located; receive control data from the electronic user device, the control data indicating a desired action to be performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot; and in response to receipt of the control data, perform the desired action at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. 11. A method of controlling a robot, the method comprising, at an electronic user device: receiving, from the robot, data representative of an environment of the robot, the received data indicating at least one surface in the environment other than a surface on which the robot is located; in response to receipt of the representative data, displaying a representation of the environment of the robot on a graphical display of the electronic user device; receiving input from a user of the electronic user device indicating a desired action to be performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot; and in response to receipt of the user input, transmitting control data to the robot, the control data being operable to cause the robot to perform the desired action at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the user input is received via the display of the electronic user device. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the user input is received via a microphone, and wherein the input comprises an audible indication of the desired action to be performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. 14. The method according to claim 11, comprising: receiving, from the robot, confirmation data confirming that the desired action has been performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot; and in response to receipt of the confirmation data, displaying an updated environment of the robot on the graphical display, wherein the updated environment indicates that the desired action has been performed at the at least one surface in the environment of the robot. 15. The method according to claim 11, comprising: receiving, from the robot, request data requesting the user to provide an identifier for a given surface in the environment of the robot; receiving input from a user of the electronic user device indicating a desired identifier for the given surface in the environment of the robot; and transmitting, response data to the robot, the response data including the desired identifier. 16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the desired action comprises a cleaning action. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the cleaning action comprises one or more of: vacuum cleaning, wiping, mopping, tidying, and dusting."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure concerns robots. In particular, but not exclusively, the present disclosure concerns measures, including methods, apparatus and computer program products, for controlling a robot and operating a robot.\n\nMobile robots are becoming increasingly commonplace and may be used within home environments to perform tasks such as cleaning and tidying. There has been rapid advancement in the field of robot cleaning devices, especially robot vacuum cleaners and floor mopping robots, the primary objective of which is to navigate a user’s home autonomously and unobtrusively whilst cleaning the floor. It is typically desirable for these robots to require as little assistance from a human user as possible, preferably requiring no human assistance. In performing cleaning or tidying tasks, a robot has to navigate the area which it is required to clean. Preferably, the robots can autonomously navigate and negotiate obstacles within their environment. Robots are usually provided with a number of sensors that enable them to navigate around an environment. Some cleaning robots are provided with a rudimentary navigation system, whereby the robot uses a ‘random bounce’ method, whereby the robot will travel in any given direction until it meets an obstacle, at which time the robot will turn and travel in another random direction until another obstacle is met. Over time, it is hoped that the robot will have covered as much of the floor space requiring to be cleaned as possible.",
  "cpc": [
    "A47L 11/4011",
    "A47L 11/24",
    "A47L 11/40",
    "A47L 2201/02",
    "A47L 2201/04",
    "A47L 2201/06",
    "A47L 5/00",
    "A47L 9/2805",
    "B25J 13/089",
    "B25J 9/0003",
    "G05D 1/0044",
    "G05D 1/0255",
    "G05D 1/0274",
    "G05D 1/2245",
    "G05D 1/243",
    "G05D 1/246",
    "G05D 1/648",
    "G05D 2105/10",
    "G05D 2201/0203"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A47L 11/40",
    "G05D 1/00",
    "G05D 1/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "DYSON TECHNOLOGY LTD"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "COLLIS CHARLES ANTHONY NEILD",
    "CLARKSON JAMES TREVOR"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-02-24",
  "publication_date": "2023-03-30",
  "priority_date": "2020-02-27",
  "application_number": "US-202117801784-A",
  "family_id": "70278642",
  "citations": [
    "US10058997B1",
    "US2019212730A1",
    "US2019212752A1",
    "US2019213438A1"
  ]
}